Eldar Wargear
Despite the differences between the dozens of Craftworlds of the Eldar, all of the Craftworlds share the same weapons and equipment. In addition, Craftworld Eldar equipment (or very similar variants) is also used by the Harlequins and various groups of Eldar Exodites, outcasts, and pirates. This list will describe the various weapon types, common equipment, and vehicles used by the Craftworld Eldar. Weapons Shuriken weapons Shuriken weapons are the most common weapon type amongst the Craftworld Eldar. These weapons are dependent on a solid core of ammunition, which is normally cylindrical (although many variants do exist). When the weapon is fired, high-energy impulses shear off a monomolecular layer from the ammunition core, before hurling the disc from the barrel of the weapon. Up to a hundred shuriken can be fired in a two-second burst, with a standard ammunition core sufficient to provide at least ten such bursts before depletion. However, the method of firing does not lend itself to long-range accuracy, leaving the standard Eldar weapon to be outreached by equivalent Imperial weapons. Shuriken weapons come in three forms; pistol, catapult (rifle), and cannon. Laser weapons Although similar in concept to Imperial 'las' technology, the laser-based weapons used by the Craftworld Eldar are significantly more advanced than those of the Imperium. This is due to both the use of more efficient generation and transmission systems and the artificial growth of special focusing crystals through which the laser energy is filtered and refined before discharge. There are five main types of Eldar laser weaponry: * Bright Lances: Similar to Imperial lascannons, although the bright lance differs by being slightly weaker, but much easier to carry and fire whilst advancing. In addition, bright lances are able to bore through armor more efficiently, allowing it to penetrate even the heaviest armor relatively easily. * Scatter lasers: A more efficient analog of the Imperial Guard's multilaser, scatter lasers use crystalline power cells to store a concentrated charge, before releasing the energy in a concentrated burst. * Pulse lasers: Like the Bright Lance, the Pulse Laser is similar to Imperial lascannons; however, it differs in that it fires a burst of several shots (which, like the Bright Lance are not quite as powerful as the lascannon's) rather than a single powerful shot. * Lasblasters: Carried by the Swooping Hawks Aspect Warriors, the lasblaster is a slightly improved analog to Imperial lasguns, offering a slight increase in penetrating power and an improved rate of fire. Exarchs use a more effective triple-barrelled version called the Hawk's Talon. * Laser Lance: These are wielded by the jetbike riding Shining Spear Aspect Warriors. They are somewhat similar to a lascannon (though much smaller and weaker) and provide a heavy close range punch as the Shining Spears charge into battle. * Prism Cannon: A massive two-stage weapon mounted exclusively on the Fire Prism grav-tank. A mid-strength laser is aimed at a large, artificially-grown crystal prism. This prism causes a significant amplification of the destructive power the initial laser possesses, emitting the energy in a single blast of power. Distort cannon The Distort cannon (or D-cannon), as well as the compact version known as Wraithcannon, uses a miniaturised warp engine to create a point where the Immaterium is temporarily overlaid onto an area of realspace. If the target is not 'swallowed' by the warp hole, the gravitational forces involved in opening and maintaining this overlay will literally rip the target apart. Although powerful, the D-cannon is affected by an extremely short range, and is one of the most inaccurate weapons in the arsenals of the Craftworlds. Monofiber weapons The deathspinners used by the Warp Spiders Aspect Warriors and the Shadow Weaver cannons used by Eldar fire support teams both use a liquid organo-polymer compound to create monomolecular wire nets. These nets are created as the liquid compound exits the weapons, before being directed at the target (inaccurately in the case of Shadow Weavers). The net is extremely hard to remove, as it is made up of molecule-thick strands which are capable of cutting through almost any armour or bodypart. The compound is designed to contract when disturbed, resulting in the victim slicing themselves apart as they struggle to free themselves. Haywire Grenades Haywire Grenades are used for neutralizing various vehicles. They send out an extremely high-powered, short range shockwave of magnetic energy which shorts out electrical equipment and energy systems of an enemy vehicle. These weapons are often carried by the Striking Scorpion aspect warriors. Mandiblasters Mandiblasters are used by the Striking Scorpions aspect, and are a laser weapon, fired by a neural interface inside the Striking Scorpion's helmet. Activated by a psychic pick-up on the interior of the helmet, they fire a hail of micro-needles which act as a short-range conductor for a concentrated pulse of laser energy. This attack, when used in conjunction with a Scorpion's tactics of stealth, often surprise, stun, and in some cases, kill the enemy. Fusion weapons Fusion weapons are used by the Fire Dragons Aspect, and are similar to the Meltaguns used by the Imperium. It is important to note that the standard fusion blaster is inferior in armour penetration and strength, although also shares an increased damage rate at short range. There is also an improved fusion weapon, called a Firepike, which has the power of an imperial meltagun, and boasts enhanced range in comparison. Reaper Launchers Reaper Launchers are used by the Dark Reapers heavy support Aspect, and take the form of a fast-firing, armour piercing rocket launcher, with a lower recoil and higher rate of fire than a normal missile launcher. They enable small squads of Dark Reapers to command the battlefield, as they are capable of threatening almost any heavy infantry squad. Blackstone Fortress The Blackstone Fortresses are weapons used to combat the C'tan, said to have been created by the Eldar God Vaul. Equipment Wraithbone Wraithbone is the main construction material of the Eldar, and the staple of their psycho-technic engineering. It is brought forth from the warp and shaped by Bonesingers through psychic power. It is used to create the craftworlds of the Eldar, their tanks and other vehicles, constructs such as the Wraithguard and Wraithlords, to weapons and armour. It is a psychic conductor and so not only provides the structure for the things built of it, but also power distribution and communications. Wraithbone is a highly resilient material, and capable of limited self-repair. It, and the other building materials of the Eldar, will grow and react more like tissue and plants than the building materials of other races. Infinity Circuit Every Craftworld contains an Infinity Circuit, which is essentially the Wraithbone skeleton of the Craftworld itself. Within this matrix the souls of all the Craftworld's dead reside in a form of group consciousness, providing both a well of psychic power for the ship and a massive ancestral mind to advise and guide the living. With the rise of Slaanesh, the Infinity Circuit is the closest thing that the Eldar have to an afterlife; if their souls are not caught and integrated into it, they will be lost into the Warp and devoured by the Great Enemy. For this reason the Eldar will defend their Craftworlds with a fury and tenacity almost unrivaled; they risk losing not only their home but the souls of their ancestors as well. Soulstone A soulstone is a psychically-charged, Warp-attuned crystal designed and created by the Eldar to trap the wearer's soul in the event of physical death, which prevents the Eldar's soul from being sucked into the Warp and being tortured by Slaanesh. Additionally, an active soulstone (one containing an Eldar's immortal essence) can be inserted into one of the Eldar's wraithbone creations and act as a power source and pseudo-consciousness. These stones are then collected and inserted into the Craftworld's Infinity Circuit, where they may rest along with the spirits of their ancestors. In times of need, the soulstones of the Craftworld's strongest warriors may be taken from the Infinity Circuit and placed inside Wraithbone automatons such as the Wraithguard and Wraithlord, to once again fight for the Craftworld. Webway The Eldar avoid using Warpspace in the same way the Imperium does, because they have a stronger depth of emotion giving them a stronger psychic presence in the warp, meaning that they would attract a large daemonic presence during the voyage, making the trip extremely hazardous. While if desperate they will use the warp they prefer to use a system of ancient 'tunnels' through the Warp known as the Webway. It is best imagined as a vast and tangled network of doorways between fixed points in real space, by which the Eldar can travel farther and faster than most races. However, if there is not a Warpgate near their destination, or the one present is not big enough to permit the necessary forces, they are at a disadvantage. Much of the Webway has fallen into obscurity and disrepair, with tunnels and doorways sealed or broken. This often forces the Eldar to make connecting stops on their way to their destination. Finally, it is said that the fabled Black Library resides somewhere within the Webway, though only the Harlequins know where. Vehicles The vehicles of the Eldar (except War Walkers) all incorporate powerful "grav-thrusters", allowing them hover over the ground. While this makes them significantly faster than their Imperial equivalents, they have weaker armour as a result. Jetbike The jetbikes used by the Craftworld Eldar are highly-advanced anti-gravity vehicles. They are able to use subtle manipulation of the anti-gravity field to combine high speeds with incredible agility and manoeuvrability. Eldar jetbikes are commonly armed with a pair of shuriken catapults, although they can be upgraded to carry a single shuriken cannon instead. Riders are normally armed with an additional shuriken pistol, although warriors of the Shining Spears Aspect use a lance designed to deliver a laser blast at extremely close range. Vyper Highly mobile weapons platforms based on an enlarged Jetbike design, the two-man Vyper is capable of carrying a wide variety of Eldar heavy weapons. Although lightly armoured, the impressive speed and manoeuvrability of the Vyper is an almost superior defense to heavy conventional armour. Vypers are often fielded in squadrons of up to 3 vehicles. War Walkers These vehicles are similar in size to a Wraithlord but are manned by a standard Eldar Guardian. They have two heavy weapon mounts that can accommodate almost any Eldar heavy weapon. Their armor does not grant much protection, but they are also protected by an energy shield similar to a Wave Serpent. The War Walkers operate in squads of up to 3 and can be equipped to take on anything from massed light infantry to heavy vehicles. Falcon Named for the mythical figure who delivered one of the Swords of Vaul to the hero Eldanesh, the Falcon is a 'grav-tank' or 'skimmer'; capable of operating at high altitude, and at speeds exceeding 800 km/h (in certain conditions). The Falcon is armed with a pulse laser and twin-linked shuriken catapults. An additional mount is provided on the Falcon’s turret, capable of accepting almost all heavy weaponry used by the Eldar. In addition, the Falcon is capable of carrying six passengers in a rear-facing compartment. Wave Serpent An armoured personnel carrier based on the same design as the Falcon, the Wave Serpent is the standard transport vehicle of the Craftworld Eldar. Armed with twin-linked shuriken catapults and a set of twin linked heavy weapons, the Wave Serpent is capable of carrying up to ten Eldar passengers in the expanded passenger compartment. In addition, the prow of the Wave Serpent is protected by an advanced energy shield, reducing the effectiveness of enemy weapons and ordnance. Fire Prism A dedicated anti-tank vehicle based on the Falcon design, the Fire Prism replaces the Falcon’s carrying capacity and turret weapons to mount a massive crystal array, known to Imperial forces as the Prism Cannon. Wraithlord An Eldar walking vehicle that contains no living warrior; rather, it is merely a robotic shell, a repository of the animating spirit of a dead Eldar hero. A spirit is drawn form the Infinity Circuit and resides within the dreadnought until such time as its power begins to fade and it can no longer function. The Eldar Wraithlords stand significantly taller than a man, carry an array of weaponry and are a terrifying sight on the battlefield. Compact (roughly man-sized) versions known as Wraithguard also serve the armies of the Eldar, each powered by the spirit of a dead warrior. Wraithguard carry Wraithcannons. References * * }} Eldar (Warhammer 40,000), Weapons, Equipment, and Vehicles Category:Science fiction weapons